Dům U Nováků, Art Nouveau department store in New Town, Prague, Czech Republic.
Dům U Nováků is a department store in Art Nouveau style in central Prague with a richly decorated facade featuring floral motifs, colored glass doors, and ornamental metal balconies. The five-story building shows attention to decorative detail at every corner and window that defines the style of this period.
The building was originally built in classical style but underwent a comprehensive transformation into Art Nouveau in 1904 under Czech architect Osvald Polívka. This redesign made it an example of the new artistic direction that shaped Prague in the early 1900s.
The name comes from the Novak family who originally ran the business and shaped its identity for many decades. Visitors can see in the intricate mosaics and glass details today the skilled craftsmanship that defined that era.
The building sits on Vodíčkova Street near Wenceslaus Square in central Prague and is easy to reach on foot. The best way to view the ornaments and details in peace is to visit in the morning or on quieter weekdays when fewer pedestrians are around.
The artistic interplay between the colored glass windows and floral mosaics shows the hand of painter Jan Preisler, whose contribution to the decoration significantly raised the artistic value of the place. This combination of glass and mosaic is rarely seen with this level of precision.
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